Just Stop Oil protesters who scaled the Dartford Crossing have been branded "utterly selfish".

Gareth Johnson, who is MP for Dartford, said he hopes the members of the environmentalist group are locked up, after their actions meant the M25 had to be closed during rush-hour this morning.

He said: "I totally deplore this action, which is yet again, causing traffic misery to people in and around Dartford.

"It is yet another example of how utterly selfish these protesters are.

"This kind of reprehensible, disruptive action is simply wrong and has no consideration for the general public as well as being counter-productive to their cause."

Just Stop Oil says the two climbers ascended the two 84m masts on the north side of the crossing.

One of them, Morgan Trowland, is a 39-year-old bridge design engineer from London.

This morning's protest is the 17th in a row for the group, with 450 arrests after incidents including a tin of soup being hurled at Van Gough's Sunflowers painting in the National Gallery and the spray painting of New Scotland Yard's famous revolving sign.

Mr Johnson continued: "It is wrong for this group to impose their views on people who are just trying to get to work and take their children to school.

"Dartford has poor air quality as it is, and the actions of these people will only add to it.

"I hope the police are able to bring this incident to a close quickly and the protesters are locked up."

And it seems the Kent public agree with Mr Johnson as some branded Mr Trowland an "idiot".

Twitter user @AliEPhoto said: "When you stage a 'protest' so close to an A&E deparment then you know you are going to cause suffering and possibly deaths."

On Instagram, @suegray1946 added: "You got yourself up there now deal with it. Let the emergency services get back to helping law-abiding citizens."

Another user @collins1757 commented: "I am sorry but you are not doing anything except causing disruption and chaos to all those that need to travel.

"People could need to be in place in an emergency and I doubt if they will look and say 'oh what a wonderful guy protesting'.

"Then there are teams that need to be on site in case you fall and the one to explain to your family if something goes wrong, I am sure that they rather you be home.

"The structure has to also be checked in case any damage has been done before it can reopen.

"So well done again on all the extra funding needed so you can illegally protest, go home and re-think."

Although many seemed to agree with Mr Johnson's comments, some were quick to ask what the government was doing to stop them.

User @AFCSeanC said: "What are him and the rest of government going to do about it?

"Our plans for the day are now trashed because we can’t even drive out of our road. Dartford is gridlocked."

Jonathon Hawkes added: "Everyone agrees on this, no-one supports these idiotic and damaging actions.

"But it’s frustrating how our MP picks and chooses his rare public statements.

"He’s been completely silent about the economic chaos currently threatening jobs, pensions, and family incomes in Dartford."

But not everyone seems to be against the protestors. Twitter user @socialmissfit3 said: "In the not too distant future we will all regret not saving our planet.

"If you had watched Sir David Attenborough last night, there is no doubt we all need to act now! A very inconvenient truth. Act now."